Aftermath
by atsuko626
Summary: Hatter doesn't follow Alice thru the looking glass, she comes back for him.


I had never been one to stick my neck out for someone, even when i was smal i only looked out for myself. All that changed when one little oyster in a very wet dress walked into my office. What was i thinking! She attracted troble like metal to a magnet. I should have just high tailed it out of there saying "Sorry, cant help ya." But no i just had to help her. Something about he blue eyes, or angelic voice, or her prettty little face that pleded for me to help her, and i just had to answer the call. I had been thru so much just for the sake of her. I had been shot, chased by a jabberwocky, tracked by mad march, fell into a lake, and was tortured! And for what you ask? Why would I risk my like for her? It was pretty obvious in my eyes, I realized it when I woke up at Charily's home and she wasn't there. I, Hatter, happen to be deeply in love with the little oyster named Alice.

It had already been a week since I watched Alice be pushed thru the looking glass, since that bitter sweet goodbye I had been beating myself up for letting her slip thru my arms. I had her, and I let her away. Maybe I would see her again, maybe I wouldn't. A little piece of my heart was crushed when I saw the last strand of her long dark hair go thru the mirror. Charily was helping me rebuild my tea shop, he wasn't affected as much as I about Alice leaveing, always his optimistic crazy self. There wasn't too much damage to the store, mostly just over turned table, broken bottles, and cracked windows. I didn't know what I was going to do now that I couldn't sell the emotional tea as I had been for all these years. Maybe I would sell actually tea with herbs and everything. That's what I would do, open a proper tea shop.

"Hatter, where would you like these boxes?" Charily said staggering over to me in his white knights armor. His finger was out stretched in the direction of some brown boxes by the door.

"Just set 'em with the rest of the boxes over in the corner. We'll sort thru them once were done cleaning up with place." I said followed by a sigh. After the adventure I had with Alice things seemed to slow down, everything felt like it took forever. It was driving me mad! Well, more mad then I already was. I needed to get this place up and running, just have something to do to keep my mind busy. Every few minuets I would drift back to thoughts of Alice, how much I missed her, how I wanted to hold her in my arms again, and especially how I just wanted to see her face again.

With Charily's help for a few more days we managed to get the shop cleaned up and ready for business. I ordered mostly detox tea, to help all the people who area addicted to the emotional tea. That was one of the biggest problems that wonderland was facing. When people came off of the tea, they came off hard. With the help of the suits it was kept mostly under control but there was the occasional out burst of someone suffering from with drawl.

The bell on the door rang as someone opened it, I was facing away and just assumed that it was another customer.

"Can I help you find anything?" I set the glass down I was washing down and spun on my heels. The last person I wanted to see was standing in front of me.

"Hello Hatter." The tall blond said to me. Why in the world would Jack be here? Didn't he have a country to run?

"Hi." I said slowly turning back around.

"Heard you re-opened your tea shop, thought I'd stop by and see how things are going." From his tone I could tell he was straining his words, compaired to me he was a terrible lier.

"There fine, just dandy!" I said sarcastically, slamming the cup i hand in hand onto the counter. Things werent fine, i didnt feel right with out Alice by my side. In the few days that she was here i had grown so accustemed to her being with me that when she left, i felt like i was missing a large part of me.

The silience between us drew to a close after some time. Jack was the one to first talk. "Have you," he paused, i could guess what he was going to say next. "Have you heard from Alice?" I knew it was comeing, his tone pissed me off the most. i knew he had the duchest now but i didnt belive he could have gotten over someone as amazing as Alice in this short amount of time.

"No, i havent. And if your not goin' get something then may i ask you ta leave, i've got customers." I waited till i heard the bells on the door before turning back around. Taking in the sight of my shop i relised that there were only 3 people in it. But it didnt matter, i would said the bloody sky was on fire if that got him out of my place.

"Was that Jack heart?" Charily shouted from my office, he offten spent time in there studying the foreign objects in it. I still thought he was compleatly mad.

"Shut your trap charly." I was pissed but i shouldnt have said that, charly gets offened very easly. The next thing i heard were his boots on the wooden floor. "Oh shit." I muttered pinching the brige of my nose.

"I didnt write the book on it but i know for a fact that you can not tell a knight to shut up." I had to stop him before he got into war stories.

"I'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm just tired and aggrivated." Even tho Charily wasnt very perspective, he could see i was upset. "He come in about Alice?" The old man ask softly.

I puased a moment before nodding. "Ya, just wondering if i've heard from her. Thats all." I wish that i had.

I hate how time is different between the two worlds. A month in wonderland is only a week in in Alices world, did she miss me by now? The question plague my mind. Things in wonderland were back to normal, even better then before the queen of hearts was in power. Emotion tea only popped up rarely, most of the oysters were back home. Only the ones who were to damaged stayed here. They were rehabilitated and were on the start to makeing new lives for them selves.

I spent alot of time in the forest with charly, i dont know why he stayed there, i had offerend to find him some place in the city but he said his place was with the knights, even tho all but him were dead.

"Charily, i'm heading back to the city now. I dont trust the shop with out me. Last time i left it, it got destroyed by mad march!"

Charily nodded, "Have a trip my boy, do come visit again soon." He smiled at me with new energy that i hadnt seen sence we first met.

"I will, dont worry." I said looking aback over my sholder as i walked. Wonder whats gotten into him?

The trip back to the city didn't take to long. To my suprise my shop wasn't burned down or anything. "Nothing went wrong sir." My one and only employ said.

"Good good." I tiped my hat to him and kept walking.

"Oh, Hatter sir, you have a guest." I looked around to the short man behind the counter.

"Well, where are they?"

He looked down at at the counter, "They asked to wait in your office sir." I sighed a kept walking towards the door.

When i steped inside, no one was there. "Hm, must have left." I muttered under my breath, i didn't know who would have wanted to see me but it must have not been importent.

My eyes widened as my office chair spun around. "I didn't leave." I was running to my desk with out even blinking.

"Alice!" My arms rapped around her small figure in a matter of seconds, lifting her up in the air. "Oh my good Alice." I wispered in her ear. "You have no idea how happy i am to see you."

I could feel her smile against my neck, her warm breath on my skin as she softly said "I missed you." She pushed me away slowly, just enof for our eyes to meet. She had the most beautiful expression on her face as she reached up her hands and rested them on the back of my head, pulling me down to her level.

I knew what to do next, what i had wanted to do for so long, sence the first time i lade eyes on her. I kissed her. It was the most amazing thing that i had ever felt. Even if i downed an entire bottle of love, i still wouldn't feel this good. What made it even better was that she kissed me back.


End file.
